High Treason

High Treason

Prologue
They told me when I was young that love solved everything, every problem, every mishap. Loves along with magic were the two hardest things to master but when you did you were unstoppable. As I’ve grown up I’ve learnt the truth, whilst magic and love are so similar, you will never stop learning about either, once you know a little you think you know everything but the painful truth is you never will.
When my parents died much too early in a experimental accident, I was still young, barely able to stand on my own two feet, but as the son of two of the greatest mages known in recent generations I was instantly accepted in the magical world. I studied hard and grew strong in no time, loved by so many. When I walked along the corridors you could hear people whispering "that boy will be on the High Council in no time", everyone loved to see what I would do next. Sure enough, a month after I graduated I was offered a place on the council. I declined instantly. I felt too young to have that level of responsibility. The offer was always there, lasting through two Great Lords of the Council (both who died in what I feel now to be suspicious circumstances). When I felt I was finally ready to join I was very nearly not accepted, the new Great Lord, and my current superior, felt I had betrayed the council by not accepting straight away. Soon he changed his mind, and I hold that place even now, which at the still tender age of 23 I am the youngest serving member, and yet the longest running member in 10 years. I've seen so many masters of magic either die in "accidents" or resign for no real reason that I wonder how I have lasted this long. The order is not the same anymore, so much corruption has erupted that those not on the council scurry away when they see me or my peers.
I ask myself, how can one that calls himself our Great Lord, be happy with the devastation of the greatest magical academy known on this world? How can he sleep at night when those he leads are terrified of each other? Love is the answer too everything is it? How can love save us now?
Time heals every wound no matter how deep? So many questions, and no answers, I don't think we have enough time to heal this wound anymore.

My time on the council has been... different to say the least. Numerous times there have been attempts on my life, each one foiled by a stroke of luck, a misfortune from the attacker’s point of view. Each potent killer dragged before the council and tried for attempted murder of a High Lord, each time I get away with barely a scratch. These attacks in time got to me; I felt I had to leave. So I chose to go into hiding, become a scud, or “common” non-magical human, just for a time. I went to university, can’t even remember now what I studied, I never paid any attention. Truth is, the system never got any money, just thought they did. It was at this place of learning that I met Annie, sweet girl we got on well the instant we met, it just felt, brilliant. In time we started having feelings for each other. I had even begun to forget the council and magic; began to think that it wasn’t important anymore. Annie and I were all I thought about, she was my life. But like everything in life, my old world caught up with me, I had to go back to the council. It was then I realised how much I missed magic; a year without that glorious power, that indestructible force, that indescribable drug, too powerful for any man to cope with.
With renewed vigour I studied magic as a form, going into incredible depth, a level no mage has ever studied. I learnt so much, not new powerful spells but the intricacy of how each form works, I was destined to be the next Great Lord of our council. But no story of greatness is perfect. And so my story begins within the council chambers.

Chapter One

“High Lord, you are charged with having emotional attachments to a scud. An offence normally punished by death through hanging. But the council acknowledges the sacrifices you have made for us. Please tell us your side of the events.” The great man that stood before me said.
“Yes Great Lord Zarg, I will not deny that I love her. I could never tell such a terrible lie like that. There is more to that girl than meets the eye though; you just have to read one of my reports to understand what I see. She is no scud, she just hasn’t met her magic yet, she is the rarest form of mage, one that without a bit of coaxing won’t discover her magic. They are not scuds; I know if I can release her magic she will become more powerful than even I,” I replied desperately. We had previously had this conversation in private before the council meeting. It had not gone well. Turning away from the Great Lord I stared at the portraits of his predecessors, the men that led our order through times of trial and danger, what went wrong? The man that brought me up was on that wall, he sat within the last portrait to smile down on us.
“High Lord, you know we cannot allow this and you know that, scuds or these... creatures are not to be contacted. As a man of your position you must know this and remember it well!”
I looked around the room in a vain attempt to find a way to get through to him. I had always thought the great dome was magnificent; the massive arches that supported its incredible weight, the roof made of marble that was never made by hand, no man or machinery could lift those great slabs of marble all the way up there. But as always the thing that kept my attention the longest was the stunning view through the windows that went from the bottom of the dome all the way to the floor, one would think there was no window there it was so clear. Glazing out of those windows I was lost deep in thought, following the mountains that surrounded our valley, looking over I saw the sun setting, I realised my time here may well be coming to an end like this days’ time. But like the sun, I held a firm belief that I would be back, I would never give up on this amazing place it held so many brilliant memories for me.
“High Lord we are waiting for you. Do you not remember Act 49 of the Lords Graduation treaty? You were there when it was signed!” the Great Lord said impatiently. I certainly did remember Act 49; it was Zarg’s “greatest” moment, the end of our worst conflict with the Common Folk and yes I was there, I organised the whole thing!
“Oh I remember my Lord, how could I not? Something tells me though we were wrong to agree to their terms, Annie cannot be the only scud that has magic within her. And do we have to continue calling them scuds? It is so disrespectful!” This got a mixed reaction from the rest of the council, some calling for my head, and one or two muttering words of agreement only to be shouted down by their peers who it seemed didn’t agree with me, but I was unsurprised by most of these, I disliked a lot of them. It took the Great Lord a considerable amount of time to calm down the rabble, but using a simple spell he projected above them.
“So you have respect for these creatures then? These men and women that had they known you were amongst their ranks would have crushed you in an instant? Remember your Annie, if she is discovered by them to hold magic in her soul she will be destroyed.” This... wasn’t completely true, but like all lies, he was almost right.
“Yes my Lord, I do know the danger she’s in, but I still have respect for her family and her peers, if a man faces a bear with just the clothes he has on his back, should he torment the bear or should he instead give the creature the respect it deserves? We mages believe we are the greatest beings on this earth. I’ll have you know, WE ARE NOT!” Using a spell I had discovered only a few months before, I blasted those last few words into the minds of every lord in that room.
After a few minutes everyone had recovered from the shock of having their mental defences crushed so easily.
“It seems High Lord; you have no respect for your own people anymore, and more for these... things. I have no choice but to revoke your status as a High Lord of this council and exile you, as of now. If we catch a glimpse of you using your magic we will kill you, there and then, naturally you will not have a trial, you will die then. It’s such a shame High Lords cannot be stilled, sometimes I feel it would save so much of our time and energy. You will leave as soon as you have collected all of your belongings. Do not, I repeat DO NOT commune with any other mage unless you have strict permission from a senior member of this council. Remove your stain from these chambers immediately.”  He said it so calmly. It was like he was enjoying himself.
Looking at him over my shoulders I saw something flash in his eyes I had not seen before, what was it? Did it mean anything, surely not? Glancing at the rest of the gathered High Lords before I left the room I realised the whole council had a smug look on their faces, so I really was seeing things then. No it was not my stain that should be removed from those chambers, it was all of theirs!
 
Chapter 2

After I left the chamber, I did not go straight to my room as the council was expecting, they told me not to commune with another mage; well I was in the mood for bending the rules just a bit. Walking down the high ceilinged corridors with portraits of the most influential mages in all of history surrounding the walls, almost trying to fight to get the most wall coverage (sometimes it looked like the portraits really were fighting if you looked in the corner of your eyes, it was quite creepy even for someone that had lived in this castle of wonders his whole life) I instead went to one of my best friends; a man who had tried so many times to graduate to become a mage, but for the last ten years had failed each year.  A man called Grant Stanley. Knocking on Grants door, he opened it and let me in with a hug and a viciously manly hand shake. Grant’s little room was plainly decorated, as a mage he would be allowed to decorate it properly, but as a lord’s apprentice Grant had to keep it simple, the only form of personalisation was a picture of his family.
He had lost his ability to talk many years ago in an accident as an apprentice to an ironmonger, long before his magic developed itself. It was this inability to talk that prevented his graduation to Lord Stanley as should be his rightful title. He really was a magnificent mage; the things we had discovered together really were beyond belief. It was these discoveries that I went to talk to Grant about now.
Sweeping his long mane of jet black hair with a massive ironmonger’s apprentice hand (he had never lost his incredible strength. That always made me think; how he kept it, yes we had a barracks for the troops we trained for the protection of the trainees, but apprentices were not allowed anywhere near it), he pointed me to a large chair on which I sat down. It really felt like I was sinking. Could Grant have some giant blood in him? He truly was a huge man, his black beard suited the black hair that crowned his face and enveloped his ears. Many millennia ago giants roamed this world, they say that’s where magic comes from, it was just something I never had chance to explore. The giants were not what you would first have thought; the stereotype of huge beasts with no brains is a lie, one possibly originating from their own legends. No they had knowledge even now I still cannot wish to obtain.
Grant and I discovered at quite a young age a way of communicating with our minds, a skill we weren’t to perfect until many years later. In time I realised we were talking telepathically. Holding out our hands we created bubbles of magic, Grants a lovely dark shade of green, mine an ugly blood red, we pushed our whole being into them, poured our very soul into that confined ball of pure magic. As soon as our minds touched I was swamped by the mind of Grant Stanley, he filled every single inch of my head, blocked out all thoughts of my impending exile. The greatest worry of telepathy is ending up lost in the mind of the other person; two minds in one head, your body in a coma your mind floating around the other person. In time your body will die due the lack of nutrition but your mind will still be alive. You will feel the loss of your body. No brain can cope with two minds in it, after a short time it will break, the host to die a slow painful death, and one both of you will be crushed by, only then will your minds fail, without a host nothing will be left for the both you will just fade away, maybe in moments, maybe even in years.
The strangest part of telepathy is the fact you don’t think throughout the whole process, but you can tell a massive story at the speed of thought (very fast). Communicating via telepathy is not done with words; rather you use pictures, sounds, all the five senses. It is almost impossible for me to tell you what we talked about, to put down all that was communicated in that half an hour would literally fill up volumes upon volumes of paper. The moment I told him that I was leaving and wasn’t going to come back, he started crying, we both opened our eyes and looked at one another, and we had grown up together, best mates, but I had to leave. It was at this moment I broke the mental contact turned away to stop myself from crying as well. When I had composed myself I turned back knowing he had done the same. I walked up to him and we hugged as only best friends can, for what felt like the last time and then I used a spell to teleport to my room.
The room laid silent as I began to think to myself; my time here not done, it will never be done. Pulling my sword out from under the bed I strapped it on. My room was on the sixth floor of the castle, along with the other high lords of our council, well those days were over now weren’t they? My little hovel I called my room was much larger than Grant’s, not a fact that even now very I am proud of. On one side was my amazingly beautiful four poster bed, I had it hand-made a long ago, the craftsman being a good friend of mine. Looking around I realised what a tip I let my room get, I had left lying around important notes on the magical discoveries and powers me and Grant had made, on the floor, on my writing desk; it was everywhere. I thought about it long and hard, I had no other option, they had to be destroyed. Picking them up and holding the pile in both hands I drew on my magic. Using a skill I had learnt but never told to anyone I inverted the magic so no one could sense what I was doing, of course this made the spell much weaker, for what I needed to do, I needn’t consider it. I burnt my life’s work and left the castle with my head held high as those around me thought me as evil.
* * *
I knew the truth, the council was a lie, and none of them on the High Council really thought for themselves. They were puppets to Lord Zarg’s imagination, doing as and what he wanted, nothing more, nothing less. But what was I to do about it? I had been exiled for loving someone I was not allowed to be in love with. The idea rattled my mind. All I could think about was her, my thoughts so strong so powerful that just for a minute I could feel her, I saw her thoughts.
I saw as Annie saw, I felt as Annie felt, she turned her head in an arc, giving me a good look of her surroundings. She was in this dimly lit small confined space, I saw in the corner of her vision a tiny window she must have felt the same way and walked over I thought to myself one word; Slave. She heard my thought, I had been noticed, and I fled from her mind as fast as I could.
Slave! How could this have happened to her? The council was nothing to me anymore; all I cared about was Annie. Where was she? What could I do? I had to save her; I had to do it now. I then realised that I had subconsciously drawn my sword. It glistened in the sunlight, the beautiful markings on the twin blades shone in a deep red. Sheathing it once more, I closed my eyes instantly deep in thought.
Who I am I now? Annie probably doesn’t even remember me! My world has just come crashing down around me; I need to start again. There really is something about that council, how have I not seen it before? How is it, after serving under that man for 3 years I never realised how much of a lie he was?
Looking back at the castle I decided my next move was to go to the nearest town called Buree. It was a small quaint town; I had been there a number of times. I picked up my pack and using a small spell I had hover next to me as I walked, knowing very well I could be hunted down for breaking the rules of my exile. Let them come I thought.

Chapter 3

I had been walking for nearly 4 hours when the first guards came. I had already been tracking them with my magic for an hour, I knew each man better than his wife did by the time they caught up with me on their horses. Hearing them slow down as they saw me I turned around.
The captain of the Recon Team, Roger Dford said to me in an ordering voice, “Master Magician, we have evidence that you have already breached your exile, you are to come with us where you will be judged by the council and should you be found guilty you will be hanged.” After he finished his order he wrinkled his nose, his wife loved that wrinkle. It would be a shame to have to kill him.
“Now Captain do you really think I will ‘go quietly’ as they say? The council is twisted, the men I served with are not themselves, they are not who they used to be. No I will not come with you to certain death.”
“Very well my lord, you will die here instead. Guards kill him.”
Closing my eyes just for a second I spun in a full circle and whipped out my beautiful sword. it had two blades on it, the main one was the length of my arm from my hand to the tip of my neck and the other the size of a large dagger, this was attached at the opposite end underneath the grip, both blades were the crimson colour of blood. As I spun I hit the first guard on the tip of his shoulder with a back-kick knocking him to floor next to his coward of a Captain who was just standing there next to the horses. Turning around I swung at the second just missing but using the momentum to bring me closer so I could use my dagger blade to stab him on the way around. His face was contorted with pain as I pulled my blade out, and threw his body to the floor.
Turning around I counted three more soldiers and the Captain, the one I had back kicked was looking a little worse for wear, but looked strangely confident, I decided to leave him to last. The man next to him was afraid, he winced when I looked at him, he barely looked 20 years old, I decided to let him live. That left the cowardly Captain or the third guard; I decided to go for the Captain. Using a little magic to power my muscles I jumped over the guards and ran the short distance to the Captain, the surprise on his face was impressive but the fact that he cleared his expression so quickly was even more imposing; remarkably, he had a backbone after all! Slowing my speed down, I released the magic. The outburst stopped the others in their tracks; it was me and the captain now. We paced in a circle around each other judging each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Eventually his impatience was his downfall, he mounted a rock and jumped at me from a great height and without really looking I caught him in an invisible web of magic and threw him to the floor. I waltzed over to him where I released him from his cage. Kicking his sword from his hand I ordered him to stand up at sword point, as soon the others saw his defeat, they dropped their own weapons.
Getting the men up on their horses, I used a simple spell I had discovered when experimenting a few months ago. I started to think and to question myself, this had all happened so quickly.
How, how did it get to this? Why was it I had to kill a man and take four others prisoner? What made me into a killer? Was this the end to the killing, to the pain? And so the questions continued to build up; questions I still to date haven’t fully solved, after all that has happened I still don’t know the answers to who I really am.
With my head full of nonsense for the next few hours, I led the men onwards to the town were a complete blur, somehow I managed to navigate into the Grenvillr Forest not 16 miles from the gates of Buree, set up camp and secured my prisoner’s to a tree using small green vines which I found lying on the forest floor and tiny threads of magic.
I lay awake all night thinking, struggling with thoughts about what I had done. I thought about why I was there, I had been exiled; I had no real home anymore, for the first time I was truly alone in the world.
Sitting up after what seemed like hours I closed my eyes and raised both my hands and drew on my power. I used my magic like a probe rummaging through the forest; the tall powerful tree’s holding all that life within them. For an hour I chased along the tree branches with the forest wildlife, joined in with their games felt the happiness they shared in those trees. Finally I realised I wasn’t alone; my magic was my true friend, maybe it had been my only friend for many years. My mental study took me across the land, I felt disconnected from my body I flew across the Dwarn Mountains and through the Urag Plains. I yearned for the sea, I pushed myself as far as I could but I felt like I had a leash, a limit.
I felt a presence near me, whispering things in my ear; horrible things about my parents, things I knew to be untrue, but yet they made me pause and think. This presence wouldn’t reveal itself but yet told me that I could trust it. I couldn’t tell if it was male or female, it just existed. Nowhere is safe the presence told me, trust no one, not even my own thoughts. Who knew what may have tampered with them? But even with that piece of advice, I felt I could still trust this invisible being, what made me think this? Why was it important to trust it? I just had to for some reason; that made me happy enough to return to my own body to sleep for the remainder of the night. Something felt terribly wrong, but I no longer cared, I had a friend in the world!

Chapter 4

By mid-morning the next day we had arrived outside the newly constructed granite walled gatehouse leading into Buree and amazingly were stopped outside by a guard.
“Who goes there gentlemen?” he ordered rather half-heartedly.
“A master magician and his escort my good fellow looking for an inn to stay in overnight and to purchase supplies for the journey ahead of us,” was my reply.
“Understood, if you have nothing to hide you wouldn’t mind being searched? Recently the towns guard had been doubled for reasons I am not at liberty to divulge to outsiders.”
“We understand and promise that we do not have anything to hide.”
“We shall Milord, we shall see.” With that a squad of soldiers exited a side door on horseback all carrying lances and two-handed swords which all looked like they should be in a display case rather than carried by these soldiers, indeed many of the swords still had that brand new shine about them.
Me and my prisoners were all separated and taken to different rooms where our belongings were inspected by men, who had obviously done this a lot but who were still not very good at it, the few notes I had managed to save from my research days happened to be left completely alone. When the men came to inspect my person, my sword was handled with care and lots of fear, the crimson blades always had an amusing reaction from guards.
With that I was allowed to leave the guard house where the Captain and his men were standing waiting for me.
“What do we do now Milord?” the Captain spat at me.
“First of all Captain, control your anger, just remember that if you or your men decide you have enough of me, you will ALL die, that includes running away, so don’t even let that thought sink into your pretty little minds, do you understand? I had hoped that we could be here just for a few days, get some supplies and be off, however, the way we were greeted today tells me something is very wrong about this town, and I intend to discover what that is! Before we begin however, we need a place to stay, I have plenty of money on me and I plan on savouring the feel of a comfy bed for a few nights, and unless you’d rather stay on the streets I’d suggest you come with me.” The look on the men’s faces suggested I had won that particular conflict with ease, smiling to myself I turned away and lead them down the street to an inn I had stayed in many times before whilst in this town.
The Headless Horseman, despite its name was a beautifully classic public house, and although it had changed hands a number of times, the new owner always managed to keep that sense of tradition, which I felt, even at my tender age, was still very important these days. The inside was finished in deep blue wallpaper, at just the right shade to have a calming effect on rowdy drunken revellers, but of course, there were still fights that happened now and then, no amount of calming wallpaper would change that! In one corner a pianist was playing a tune I had heard many times in the past, but yet I didn’t recognize the lyrics, all the same, I found myself humming along to it as I went up to the bar-lady with my followers.
“Ahh, Master Magician, your usual room I expect sir?”
“Yes, Miss Harmi, plus also rooms for my guests, who will not of course be leaving the premises unless they have my consent; understand gentlemen?” I added the last bit directly at Captain Dford personally, who simply nodded his reluctant agreement.
“Of course sir, you know, I have had little way in terms of trade involving people staying overnight, and how long will you be here for? As I said, not many people want to stay, but I like to keep on top of these things when I can,” she said enquiring.
“Of course Miss Harmi, unfortunately I can’t be of much use to you, I’d suggest two maybe three weeks, but it depends on how well my... research goes.”
“I completely understand Milord, if it not too much, may I ask what you are researching?” Jane Harmi asked.
I looked her up and down, taking her in for a moment; she was no more than a few years older than me, twenty-six at the most, her father had handed the Headless Horseman to her in his Will when he died, she was eighteen at the time, fragile but beautiful at the same time. Her dark eyes and blonde hair reminded me of the stories of Elves I had been told as a child, the people that died out many years ago as the stories went, but yet once in awhile you still hear of supposed sightings of this mysterious creatures, were they still here or not? It certainly seemed young miss Harmi was descended from these beings; her figure and stature certainly had the right image, but looking at her, I remembered when I first met Annie, oh sweet beautiful Annie, and then I realised I hadn’t thought of her in nearly two days! Where could she be by now? Finally I answered the ladies question. “Unfortunately ma’am I am unable to reveal much to you, but believe me, I feel it is of the utmost importance to this town.”
“Oh my, are you looking into the kidnappings? The town has been all at arms since the first body was found last week!” she exclaimed.
Taking a slow look around the room, I realised no one was listening, or at least they weren’t looking at us; I leaned in closer, “kidnappings you say? I had heard rumours, were they correct? No don’t answer yet, is there a way we can talk in quiet? My other investigations can be put on hold if needs be,” I said, trying to be as reassuring as I could.
She looked at me and nodded, telling one of her Maids to man the bar whilst we had a talk, and had another set up our rooms for the evening.
“Milord, may I join this conversation? As a Captain of the High Councils Guard, I feel it is my duty to help in any way I can, my men will of course be allowed to join in on the frivolities?” Captain Dford gave a convincing argument, his motives seemed honest, I realised he truly felt he had a sense of obligation to help these people.
“Of course you may Captain, if it is ok with Miss Harmi?”
“Of course he may Milord; it would be of great interest to have a man of his stature involved with our plans.’
‘Always you insist on calling me by my surname? I would have thought by now we knew each other well Milord? Call me Jane!” she said that every time I stayed at her inn, which was surprisingly frequent now that I think about it.
As we talked we entered the bar-ladies personal sitting room, as a wealthy entrepreneur, her father had a number of small businesses but his daughter sold most of these so she could focus on turning her father’s small one level tavern into a wealthy three storey inn. The sitting room was decorated with a high quality finish, much better than most of the inns in the other parts of the town, we sat down in leather seats either side of a table with readymade cups of hot tea.
“Oh come now miss, you can’t say much, not many people know the first name of a High Lord, yet here you are; one of few that know mine and you complain I don’t call you Jane? I think we are both in the same boat ma’am!” I smiled an honest but cheeky smile that made the young lady blush. Removing the smile from my face however I looked at her with a serious expression, “enough of the silliness though Jane, I must probe you on these kidnappings, what have you or your maids heard in regards to the kidnappers or the events that took place? How many been taken? Anything you can tell us will be of use I promise.”
She smiled at the use of her first name, but as mine did, but her smile faded quickly, “There isn’t much I know in all honesty, it may be of benefit for you to talk to young Sophie, she is the one with all the gossip, as to how many have been taken though, that I can tell you, nearly fifty, all girls, the towns-guard believe the majority are between the ages of seventeen to twenty-four,” she explained in a sad, sombre voice. With a glance at the floor and a wipe of her eyes, she called for someone to collect Sophie.
“Magic in girls reveals itself later than in boys, for boys the age is thirteen, in a girl, it is... seventeen. Fifty you say? That is a lot of fresh magic, as you know, in the time it takes a child to grow up, the magic builds up inside them until one day it gets to a point where it has to escape, normally in a rather violent way unless guided by a skilled hand. It’s these violent outbursts that stop the council from finding them; the outburst usually kills the child. Why just girls though? I can see the use for this outburst magic, but the magic leaving a boy is normally far more powerful than that of a girl even though it has longer to grow, it makes no -” I was interrupted by a girl of no more than fourteen years on her back, rushing into the room red in face and panting like she had just ran a three hundred metre sprint.
“ma’am... I... need... too...” she spurted out.
“Jennifer, take your time, get your breath back, that’s a good girl, slow steady breathes, in and out in and...” Jane was brilliant with these girls most of whom used to be street urchins, as such still had links with the street gangs.
Jennifer having finally recovered enough to speak looked at Jane and told us “It’s Sophie ma’am, she’s been kidnapped!”
 
Chapter 5

Captain Rodger Dford, whom had sat silently throughout mine and Miss Harmi’s conversation sat upright and looked at the girl after the terrible news she just delivered, she must have thought he was blaming her for what had happened as she cowered behind Jane. He looked at her, simply saying “are you one hundred percent sure she was kidnapped and has not simply gone out for a stroll?”
“The Captain is right Jennifer, how can you be so certain of what has happened? Was her door forced? Was any other sign left?” she closed her eyes at the girl’s facial expression, “Oh I see, then that changes everything.”
“What is it Jane? What has happened?” I asked.
“Whenever a girl has been kidnapped by these people we have been talking about, they have always left a symbol, a sign of their organisation, come with me to Sophie’s room, I’ll show you what I mean.”
The Captain held me back as the ladies left the room and started down a dark corridor “High lord... Is it proper to call you that now, I wonder? No matter, High Lord, I fear we may getting in over our depth helping these people, me and my men may have been sent to bring you back to the Councils chambers, dead or alive, but I see now, there is a spark of intense goodness in you that should not be killed and as conflicted as you seem to be, that goodness stands so strong! But even so; this whole affair, it reeks of the dark arts, fifty young girls between the age of seventeen and twenty-four, fifty-one by now I guess, that seems like too much of a coincidence for me, who knows what we are dealing with here?”
“I understand your concern Captain, but think about it, your right it probably does have something to do with the dark arts, one of those old abandoned rituals I spent the entirety of last summer studying, and it is for that exact reason why we cannot let this infestation remain, those ancient spells, whilst in most cases primitive, are so powerful, no book has the details written down, for the very act of doing so sets the spell off, killing the author and engulfing the book with it! If my hunch is correct, then this must be stopped, for now they are building resources, but if I walk away now who knows what atrocities they will commit? Now I am alone as a Magician in this fight, and I will do my best to quash their activities now whilst I have a chance!”
“You are not alone High Lord, if you stay to help these people, me and my men will too, I promise you that. We only ask for one thing, more freedom in our movements”
“Thank you Captain, thank you indeed, I will think on your suggestion, remember though I know where you and your men are at all times, if you or your men even think about betrayal, it will be a short trip home.” I suddenly wasn’t sure of this man’s motives, and I felt I should watch him, but then again, it would be nice to have his group of soldiers at my back, even if I had to continuously check it for knives.
Finally, we arrived at Sophie’s room; the door had indeed been forced, but subtly and carefully, so as not to raise awareness of them. Reaching for my magic I searched the room for any traces which I could use to track the kidnappers down with but as soon as I entered the girls room... I lost connection to my magic. I tried reaching for it again, but every time I thought I had a strand, it slipped out of my grasp. The shock was intense and I struggled to keep it from appearing on my face. Jane asked if I was alright, and after much reassurance she believed me, reluctantly. Jennifer took us over to the wall of her friend’s room by the window where underneath it, was the most horrendous symbol I had ever seen, it was an ugly misuse of the symbol of the High Council. Whereas the council used a picture of a majestic powerful golden Raven surrounded by two golden swords crossing behind it, this monstrosity had the two swords stabbing the now red raven. This I could not hide from my face, the pain in my eyes was enough for the girl Jennifer to come over to me and quite surprisingly give me a hug. I looked at her and whispered thank you in her ear and she let go, I smiled and got on to one knee and properly inspected the symbol. It looked at a distance to have been hand drawn, but even in my non-magical state, I could feel the magic radiating from this symbol, it was the source of my lost power!
Having found nothing else of use in the girl’s room, and after much experimentation on the symbol, we left and went back downstairs to the bar. We arrived to see a massive crowd around the front door, as Jane entered the room; one of her maids came over and informed us that incredibly, one of the girls had escaped the kidnappers, except she was calling it more a slaver’s caravan.
Well, I thought, that might explain why no one seems to be able to find them. Slavers are known for they’re sneakiness.
I pushed through the crowd to see the girl for myself, and to judge how honest she was. As I reached the front of the crowd I realised she was in a right state. Going over to her, I told the crowd to back off; she needed rest and a bath before she would talk to anyone. As I re-entered the Headless Horseman, I passed the girl over to Jane, saying she needed a bed as well, if Jane wished, I would pay for the girls stay as well if needs be until she was well enough to start looking after herself.
“Young lady, I must know something of you before I let you go to bed, what is your name?”
“My... My name sir? I haven’t a name anymore sir.” was the girls painful response.
“Did you have a name before you were taken? Surely you did?”
“Perhaps sir, but I can’t remember much apart from the life I had with my master, he would beat me if I tried to remember anything from my past life, he will beat now for trying to remember.... please don’t let him beat me again!”
“Your master is not here my friend, we will protect you I promise, please, just for me; can you remember your name?”
“I’m sorry my lord, I just don’t remember, all I can remember is pain, so much pain....”
In that instant, I remembered my vision of Annie trapped in that cage, I felt her confusion as If it were my own. Looking at this pretty girl I found myself thinking could this be her?
That night I went to bed with thoughts of Annie, was this the girl that I had fallen in love with some four years ago? She looked familiar, and her voice, whilst ravaged by the horrors of what she had seen, reminded me of the girl I had left behind, could it really be her? I lay awake for hours puzzling it out, but finally, exhaustion took its toll and I fell asleep.

Chapter 6

The next morning, the whole tavern was awakened by a piercing scream coming from the room next to mine where the young girl was staying the night. We all rushed into her room, she was sat on her bed, hugging her legs, rocking slowly.
As I sat next to her she flinched and started sobbing into her knees. I just sat there, not sure what to do, until she lent her head on my shoulder. Sub-consciously I put my arm around her, the magical power I felt radiating from her was incredible! The moment felt immensely special, we were in that position for a while and I stayed with her for some time after, just trying to reassure her.
When I entered through the back door to the main part of the tavern, I was greeted by Jane, Captain Dford and two of his men, Kristom and Alexiut. We had decided the night before that we should gather as much information about the caravans of kidnapper’s wondering the countryside.
After a few drinks, we decided that we should see if we could find any more information on these slavers. With Jane leading the way, we trekked in to town. She suggested we start in the main high street; see what we could overhear in the pubs and stalls. It was a gorgeous street, buildings white-washed, and above every handcrafted door, sat a stunningly well engraved signature for each family that lived in the house. The roads were also immaculate, it was if Buree was trying to hide the fact that it had failed its younger generation by keeping itself in incredible shape.
We were enjoying the gorgeous, cloudless, sunshine, when Jane had an idea. “High Lord, I suggest we talk to my old boss, Wargen Hiltsman, his eyes and ears are the best in the city, if anyone knows of anything, he will!”
Dford’s face dropped at her suggestion, “HILTSMAN, Are you crazy? He’s the leader of the most notorious gang of cut-throats and thieves within 40 leagues my Lord. He’s no better than these slavers we are trying to find!”
I looked at the Captain; the concern on his face was evident and pure. “I know who he is Captain, you may be surprised at this, but I have in fact dealt with this man before, I can’t believe I didn’t think of him myself, he owes my family a favour, maybe after all these years he  will finally pay up! I can’t say I’m happy in going myself, but Jane is right he might just be our best hope in locating these slaving bastards!”
“With all due respect my Lord, times have changed, will he remember his promise? The stories tell me he has become much harsher, much more tyrannical since the times of your parents, what if he casts you aside?”
“Captain Dford, we can only find out the answers to your questions if we go to see him, I understand your worry, but I also believe that he is our best hope of uncovering the whereabouts of these Slavers,” I walked up closer to the man that towered above me, “I have made a promise to protect this city from these people that torment it’s streets. To do this I know I must make sacrifices, talk to people I would otherwise prefer to avoid, this is the only way I can gauge the severity of the situation and so Captain, it is up to you, do you want to come with us or not?”
“I understand you my Lord, ok I shall come with you, but may I suggest that you allow Alexiut and Kristom to continue the rummage in town?” he asked.
“As you wish Captain, gentlemen, I am not sure how long we will be, however if you, in your greatest of wisdoms, decide that we have been gone for too long, you take action to correct the situation, do you understand me?” I directed at the soldiers.
“Yes sir, we understand” was the reply from both of them in unison.
“Very good, this is not an excuse to get drunk though, you are to find out all you can about these slavers, of course, you are in a pub, enjoy yourself, but be sensible! Your well trained men, I expect you know all about this, off you go gentlemen find out all you can,” with that, the two lads left without another word, but a quick salute to the Captain, who replied with his own. I turned to Jane “so how do we find these people?”
“Through me, come on you two, you have to keep up now!” She turned 90 degrees and ran to a ladder that led to the roof and ascended it.
I looked at the Captain and followed her as fast as I could. Once I was on top of the buildings, I turned to spot her, when I noticed she was running across the roof of the building opposite! Using some magic like I did in the fight against Captain Dford’s men, I powered my legs so I could jump larger distances with ease. Running at a sprint, I sailed across the rooftops without breaking a sweat. Jane never looked back she merely assumed we were keeping up, however I kept turning around so I could check up on the Captain, who constantly looked like he was going to be sick. Finally, after a lot of running, and twice nearly falling off the rooftops we came to the end of the line, a building with the roof removed.
As we approached, Jane slowed down to allow us to catch up. When we did so, I looked at her, “Jane why all the secrecy? Can you not just tell me what is going on? I...” she cut me off with a finger to her mouth. She turned around and jumped in the hole in the roof, shrugging I followed her, just behind me was the Captain.
As soon as I was on the floor, I was grabbed from behind by a rough muscular arm, and a magical shield was slammed on me. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even move my wrists, I saw the Captain was in a similar situation, looking for Jane, I just glimpsed her walking into the room next door. The situation was dire, what could I do? I...

Chapter 7